1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to digital rights management systems and communication devices that receive protected content from such systems. More particularly, the invention relates to methods, devices and systems for allowing end user communication devices to access protected content regardless of which type of digital rights management system issued the digital rights to the protected content and which type of digital rights management system the communication devices support.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many conventional systems and methods exist for transferring digital information from content providers to various end user communication devices. Digital information includes video content, such as movies and programming events, music, and other digital information suitable for transfer from one or more content providers. End user communication devices include set-top boxes and residential gateways, and mobile communication devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and smart phones. Typically, systems and methods for transferring digital information to various end user communication devices involve some sort of digital rights management (DRM) format or scheme that usually includes encrypting the content to be transferred and providing one or more decryption keys to authorized users or user devices for decrypting the encrypted content.
Different DRM systems and corresponding DRM formats exist for protecting content transmitted to various end user communication devices. For example, current DRM formats or schemes include Windows Media DRM, Motorola Internet Protocol Rights Management (IPRM), and one or more DRM schemes according to or specified by the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA). Conventionally, protected content and associated digital rights and licenses issued from one DRM scheme are not compatible with different DRM formats or schemes and their supporting devices. Therefore, for an end user, protected content from a content provider is accessible only by end user communication devices that support or are compatible with the particular DRM format of the content and the associated digital rights and licenses. Thus, for example, an end user who purchased digital content using their set-top box may not be able to access that particular content using their PDA or smart phone, unless the PDA is compatible with the DRM scheme supported by the set-top box.
Conventional systems and methods either do not allow such transfer or require relatively large infrastructure support and/or processing capability, at both the transmitting and receiving ends of the system.